Mikie Tallon continued his rapid rise through the professional ranks with an emphatic fifth-round knockout of Fezan Shahid on November 15, 2025, delivering a polished performance on the packed undercard of Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Fighting in the flyweight division and broadcast live worldwide on DAZN, the undefeated Liverpudlian once again showed why he is regarded as one of Britain’s most promising young talents.

From the opening bell, Tallon looked composed and purposeful. He took centre ring early, establishing control with sharp movement and crisp punches to the body. Shahid, appearing on the biggest stage of his career, showed courage and ambition, but Tallon’s accuracy in the opening round made an immediate impression, particularly with his work downstairs that visibly slowed the Bradford fighter late in the session.

The second round brought moments of resistance from Shahid, who managed to land a couple of clean right hands, but Tallon answered decisively. A well-timed left to the head underlined the growing gap in speed and precision, with the Liverpool man remaining calm and balanced throughout the exchanges.

Tallon’s control became more pronounced in the third. His jab dictated the tempo, disrupting Shahid’s attempts to build any sustained momentum. By repeatedly resetting the distance, Tallon ensured the contest was fought at a pace that suited him, while Shahid was forced to react rather than lead.

Credit is due to Shahid for refusing to fold. In the fourth round he enjoyed his best spell, landing a solid shot to the body that briefly caught Tallon’s attention. However, once Tallon returned to a steady jab and measured combinations, the initiative quickly swung back his way. The younger fighter’s ring intelligence was evident as he adjusted without panic.

The end came in the fifth round as Tallon applied heavier pressure. After briefly rushing his work, he settled into mid-range and found the opening that mattered. As Shahid dipped to avoid a left hand, Tallon fired a perfectly judged right uppercut that landed flush. Shahid was unable to beat the referee’s count, bringing a definitive end to the bout at 3 minutes and 6 seconds of the round.

The victory lifted Tallon’s professional record to 11 wins without defeat and marked his second stoppage success. It also built on the momentum from his previous outing earlier in the year, when he impressed in the United States with a clear win over Christian Robles on The Ring’s Underdog series during the Canelo Alvarez–Terence Crawford fight week.

On a night filled with high-profile drama, Mikie Tallon delivered a performance of maturity and control well beyond his 20 years, while Fezan Shahid showed heart and determination before being halted for the first time in his career. In the final reckoning, it was Tallon who celebrated another statement win, while Shahid departed having given everything on a grand stage.

The post Mikie Tallon vs Fezan Shahid 15.11.2025 appeared first on Greatest Boxing.

The storied Puerto Rico–Mexico rivalry gained another fierce entry on 29 March 2025 as Oscar Collazo retained his world minimumweight crowns with a commanding victory over Mexico’s Edwin Cano Hernández in Cancún. What unfolded was less a tactical chess match and more an exhibition of incisive championship craft meeting unbreakable Mexican resolve.

Both men began as southpaws with contrasting instincts: Collazo favouring sharp, economical punching and intelligent positioning, Cano Hernández relying on rugged industry and stubborn defiance. Early on, the contest offered hints that it might ignite into something memorable. Cano Hernández attempted to unsettle the champion by stepping forward with intent, but Collazo answered with well-timed shots that cut off momentum before it could take root.

From the opening bell, the Puerto Rican made it clear he intended to impose himself to the body. He probed, adjusted, and found the openings he predicted during preparations. Cano Hernández’s habit of widening his swings left valuable space beneath the elbows, and Collazo made full use of it. Thudding shots downstairs began accumulating far earlier than the Mexican corner would have liked.

The champion’s right hook—long recognised as a signature weapon—proved decisive whenever Cano Hernández tried to exchange. While the challenger’s wiry style and awkward timing have troubled others, Collazo’s cleaner mechanics repeatedly won the arguments at mid-range. Whenever Cano Hernández dipped to one side, Collazo anticipated the movement and drove home left hands that snapped the Mexican’s head back or sank into his midsection with wicked precision.

Despite the onslaught, Cano Hernández refused to wilt. Even as his elbows drew tighter to shield the ribs, he trudged forward, absorbing punishment while hunting for chances of his own. His corner urged persistence; his supporters roared with pride. Yet every step he took carried the hidden cost of walking into more punishment from angles he couldn’t read quickly enough.

By the third round, Collazo had warmed fully into his rhythm—doubling and tripling his right hand, switching from jab to uppercut with hardly a pause, and stepping around Cano Hernández with the relaxed self-assurance of a champion fully aware of his dominance. The Mexican’s legs grew wider, his breathing heavier, his reactions slower. Still he marched, fuelled by bravery alone.

Then came the turning point. A string of punishing body shots in the fourth round finally breached Cano Hernández’s legendary toughness. Collazo dipped, drove a left hand deep into the target, and the Mexican sank to a knee, mouthpiece dislodged, the cumulative toll of four rounds of expertly delivered body work leaving no room for further defiance. The referee counted, and the champion’s hand was raised once more.

In a division that often struggles for the limelight, this bout showcased the very best of its craftsmanship: one fighter refined and ruthless, the other fearless and unyielding. The night belonged to the clinical efficiency of Oscar Collazo, but it was shaped equally by the monumental heart of Edwin Cano Hernández.

The post Oscar Collazo vs Edwin Cano 29.03.2025 appeared first on Greatest Boxing.

In a thrilling but short-lived contest, Junto Nakatani successfully defended his WBO flyweight championship against Angel Acosta at Casino Del Sol’s AVA Amphitheatre in Tucson, Arizona. The bout, which took place on the undercard of the Oscar Valdez-Robson Conceicao fight, ended in a technical knockout victory for Nakatani early in the fourth round.

The Japanese champion, making his first title defence outside his home country, showcased his power and precision from the opening bell. Nakatani’s striking accuracy was evident as he landed a devastating left hand that visibly shook Acosta in the first round. The Puerto Rican challenger’s nose began bleeding profusely, setting the tone for the rest of the fight.

As the bout progressed, Acosta’s nose injury worsened, leading to multiple medical checks by the ringside physician. Despite the challenger’s determination and occasional flurries of offense, the continuous blood loss became a significant concern for officials.
Referee Rocky Burke halted the action 32 seconds into the fourth round, declaring Nakatani the winner by TKO. The stoppage came after consultation with medical staff, who deemed it unsafe for Acosta to continue due to the severity of his injury.

With this victory, Nakatani improved his undefeated record to 22-0 with 17 knockouts, solidifying his position as one of the top fighters in the flyweight division. The champion expressed his desire to unify the titles in his post-fight interview, hinting at potential blockbuster matchups in the future.

For Acosta, a former light flyweight titleholder, the loss marked a setback in his quest for a second world championship. His record now stands at 22-3, with 21 of his wins coming by knockout.

This explosive encounter, though brief, highlighted Nakatani’s growing star power and raised questions about potential unification bouts in the 112-pound weight class. Boxing fans around the world will undoubtedly be eager to see what’s next for the hard-hitting Japanese champion.

The post Junto Nakatani vs Angel Acosta 10.09.2021 appeared first on Greatest Boxing.